Legendary Van Cliburn Returns to Concert Life the Pianist Emerges after a Long `Sabbatical' to Promote His Tour

Article excerpt

Last week, the revered pianist and cultural hero met 200 fans at
the Boston music store as part of a national tour to introduce his
return to the concert stage after a long hiatus.

On the third floor of the Tower Records building, the tall slim
pianist with thick blonde hair - barely graying at the temples -
greeted fans with a gracious "Hello." He also shook hands and
signed autographs, putting either a black Sharpie or a gold-ink pen
to book pages, photos, and record sleeves.

The line of admirers wound around to the back of the store near
the Mozart section; estimated time of arrival to Cliburn: two
hours.

(The pianist reportedly greeted every last fan - something he
was not able to do in Minneapolis, where 2,000 people showed up.)

As the cameras and smiles flashed, one couldn't help but notice
his large nimble hands with fingers that seemed as long as an
octave is wide. His blue suit and white shirt were as crisp as any
beginning notes of a concerto.

"He's here to meet his fans, meet the people who care most
about his music, and reintroduce himself to the public. `Cordial'
doesn't even begin to describe him," he says.

David Richardson arrived almost two hours before Mr. Cliburn to
assure a first spot in line.

"I was a bit nervous," Richardson said after meeting the
pianist. "He's, like, my hero." Richardson, 18, a serious student
of piano, added, "I didn't think we'd be able to shake his hand."

Richardson and thousands of other fans who have met with Cliburn
in seven cities during the past few weeks stand as proof that after
more than a decade "on sabbatical" Cliburn has maintained his
celebrity appeal.

Van Cliburn won the gold medal at the first Tchaikovsky
Competition in Moscow in 1958, at the height of the cold war. …